Grupos de investigación

Cellular and molecular biology in the alveolus

 

Description and general objectives

 

The research group led by Dr. Cristina Casals (Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) is an accredited research group of the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), with reference 910798.  The acronym of the research group is Respira (Breathe).

The group has extensive experience in the fields of respiratory disease, pathogen-host interaction, and molecular and cellular biology of the alveolus. For over thirty years, Dr. Casals’ group has contributed to knowledge of the structure and function of the components of pulmonary surfactant, and it has identified the molecular bases of injury in various respiratory pathologies.

The group’s current work is focused on the innate immunity of the lung, where alveolar macrophages, antimicrobial proteins, and surfactant lipids are the main players. Our current research has two key objectives:

  • The first is the identification of anti-infective factors of the lung and the synergies between them and between antimicrobial drugs. These synergies reinforce the antimicrobial activity of each factor, providing the lung with resistance against infection.
  • The second objective is the study of immunomodulatory factors of the alveolar fluid such as the lung collectins SP-A and SP-D and surfactant lipids, which activate the molecular and cellular mechanisms necessary to limit inflammation, repair damaged tissue, and return to homeostasis.

These two objectives — resistance to infection and tolerance of inflammation — constitute the principal axes of our work.

In addition, we continue to develop two further lines of research, begun ten years ago: i) studies on the mechanisms of inactivation/resistance of pulmonary surfactant by/to different molecules present in respiratory diseases; and ii) development of effective nanoparticles and nanoliposomes as direct drug transport agents to the lung.

Dr. Casals’s research has been continuously funded by national and international public agencies for more than thirty-five years. During the period 1989-2022, many doctoral theses have been supervised. Each thesis covers a four-year period.  

Finally, Dr. Casals’ scientific work has included activities as: i) Member of the State Research Agency (Biomedicine Area, 2019-2020); ii) General Coordinator of the National Commission for the Evaluation of Research Activity (CNEAI) of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (2014-2015); iii) Member of the Plenary of the CNEAI (2014-2017); iv) Scientific Subdirector of the Center for Biomedical Research Network on Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES, 2011-2015); v) Coordinator of the Master’s Program in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biomedicine (2011-2023); and vi) Coordinator of the Doctoral Program in tin Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biomedicine (1999 -2013), with a Mention for Quality and a Mention for Excellence.